Efforts made by municipals to provide poor relief

Why was local legislation more progressive

Local councils saw the problems first hand so were more likely to be realistic

What were the 2 main aims of towns

1. Keep vagabonds under control

2. Take care of local poor e.g providing grain stores

Actions taken by London

1. Grain stores to counteract bad harvests

2. 1547 poor relief was made compulsory - not properly collected

What did Henry VIII allow in London

Some monastic buildings to be used for charitable purposes e.g St Thomas’s became a hospital for the sick and impotent beggars

Which town had the most successful scheme and why

Norwich

Funds were properly collected

Which 2 groups were the Norwich city corporation concerned about

Local poor

Increasing number of itinerant beggars - felt they might corrupt the native poor

What action was taken in Norwich

Begging banned inside the city

Regular funds put into a system of poor relief

St Giles hospital set up to cater for the young- medical care and basic education

How much did Norwich raise per year for the rest of the 1570s

£500

What did the system in Norwich do

Influenced the government

Funds were key as this was needed to maintain a proper system of helping the poor